Russell M. Ozawa

Attorney at Law

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Russell has been working with families and fiduciaries for more than 15 years, helping them navigate complex family trusts and disputes and planning for their futures. Russell's clients include trustees, personal representatives, conservators, professional fiduciaries, corporate trustees, and individuals.

Russell's practice focuses extensively on trust administration, probate, conservatorship, estate planning, and trust and estate litigation.

As part of his fiduciary practice, Russell assists and advises trustees, personal representatives, and conservators in the administration of trusts, probate estates, and conservatorships, helping them fulfill their fiduciary obligations. Russell also represents fiduciaries in litigation concerning trusts, estates, and conservatorships.

As part of his estate planning practice, Russell helps his clients plan for the uncertainties of life. He works closely with his clients to create individualized estate plans tailored to their needs and wishes.

Representative Matters:

• In a conservatorship matter, after a 3-day trial, Russell obtained an order appointing his client conservator of the person and estate instead of a competing petitioner also seeking appointment.
• In a trust accounting defense, after a 2-day trial, Russell obtained an order approving his client's accounting, including a finding that his client did not breach the trust.
• In a trust matter, after a 3-day trial, Russell obtained a judgment in favor of his client confirming ownership of real property and corporate interests.
• In a trust contest defense, after 2 days of trial wherein a contestant sought to invalidate a trust instrument, Russell secured a settlement agreement confirming that his client remained the trustee and that the trust was valid.
• In a trust contest defense, Russell obtained summary judgment confirming the validity of the trust.
• In a probate matter, Russell obtained a judgment in favor of his client after the personal representative failed to make distributions.
• In an elder abuse matter, Russell obtained a judgment for monetary damages and double damages on behalf of his client.

Practice Areas:

• Trust Administration
• Estate Planning
• Probate
• Conservatorship
• Trust and Estate Litigation

Bar Admissions:

• California, 2010

Associations:

• Los Angeles County Bar Association

Honors:

• Super Lawyers, 2021-2026
• Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2020
• Pasadena Magazine, Best of Pasadena Legal, 2026
• Elite Lawyer, 2026

Published Works & Certifications:

• The Kindler and Gentler IRS Is Targeting E-File Practitioners—Are You in Compliance? (Co-Author with David Lee Rice, Esq.) (CCH Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure, December 2011-January 2012)
• Third-Party Federal Tax Liens and Levies and How to Fight Them (Co-Author with David Lee Rice, Esq., and Dennis N. Brager, Esq.) (CCH Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure, December 2012-January 2013)

Seminars:

• Elder Law: Basics of Elder Law from A-Z (LawReviewCle), 2013

Education:

• Law School: University of San Francisco School of Law, Juris Doctor, 2010
• College/University: University of California San Diego, B.S., 2005